Home

  • Home
    • » e-Newsletters

Respiratory tract vaccine may protect against Ebola

Infection Control Monitor, June 22, 2007

Researchers have found that a topical respiratory track vaccine may protect against Ebola virus infection, according to a news release from the American Society for Microbiology.

Scientists tested a vaccine they developed incorporating the human parainfluenza virus type 3, which is a common pediatric respiratory pathogen, in rhesus monkeys. Results showed that a single immunization protected 88% of the animals against severe hemorrhagic fever and death. All those who received two doses of the vaccine not only survived but were symptom free and no detectable Ebola virus was found in the bloodstream.

The researchers from the National Institutes of Health and the CDC reported their findings in the June issue of the Journal of Virology. Ebola virus is a highly contagious form of severe hemorrhagic fever with a mortality rate of up to 88% in humans. Because it can be transmitted by contact and aerosol route, it is considered to be high risk for use as a biological weapon.

Most Popular